Fraser Coast council to hold meeting to replace Darren Everard

Each of the 26 candidates for the Fraser Coast council vacancy will make a five-minute presentation ahead of a secret ballot next month to replace Darren Everard.

Familiar faces have put their hands up for the Division 7 council vacancy.

A special meeting will be held to appoint a new Fraser Coast councillor for Division 7, following presentations from the 26 candidates and a secret ballot.

At its meeting on Wednesday, August 23, the council unanimously agreed to the selection and appointment process for the vacant position of councillor for Division 7 following the resignation of Darren Everard earlier in August.

With less than 12 months until the next local government election, the vacancy will be filled by appointment rather than a by-election, as is required under the Local Government Act.

The council received 30 nominations from residents interested in filling the Division 7 vacancy.

Of those, 24 applications have been confirmed, with a further three accepted pending confirmation of electoral enrolment within the Fraser Coast.

Division 7 candidate Sue Brooks. Photo: Alistair Brightman / Fraser Coast Chronicle

Two applications were not accepted as the applications were not submitted in time, while one application was confirmed but later withdrawn by the candidate.

Council chief executive Ken Diehm said the special council meeting would be held on Wednesday, September 6, at the council chambers in Hervey Bay. It would be open to the public and livestreamed on the council’s YouTube channel, he said.

“Each candidate will be selected randomly to determine the order on the ballot paper and the order of presentations.

“Each candidate will have the opportunity to make a five-minute verbal presentation to council in person supporting their nomination.

Candidate for Division 7 David Dalgleish.

“At the conclusion of the presentations, there will be a secret ballot of councillors using an optional preferential voting system in line with what the Electoral Commission of Queensland uses to select single-member divisions and the mayor in local government elections.

“An Independent Probity Scrutineer will oversee the counting of ballots to confirm the integrity of the process, with council to appoint the candidate who received the most votes by resolution and the new councillor then making their declaration of office.”

Mr Diehm said the agenda for the special meeting, with more details about the 26 candidates’ nominations, would be available publicly on council’s website either later this week or early next week.

Darryl Stewart at the Tiaro sign.

The Fraser Coast council applicants are (in order of application received):

• Luke Strochnetter;

• Christopher Mizzi;

• Andrew Broad;

• Stephen Wilson;

• Michael Walker;

• Michelle Govers;

• David Dalgliesh;

• Andrew Ellis;

• Alicia Wade;

• Russell Lewis;

• Wayne Madsen;

• Dennis Langshaw;

• Kathryn Forgan-Flynn;

• Jan Hegge (Carlson);

• Peter Luxton;

• Giselle O’Keefe;

• Chris Dale;

• Roslyn Buerckner;

• Sara Faraj;

• John Weiland;

• Sue Brooks;

• Michael Tudman;

• Darryl Stewart;

• Liz Hornibrook;

• Derik Westra;

• Bernice Allen.